2021 Orioles #22 Prospect - Felix Bautista - RP

[Tony-OH]

https://www.orioleshangout.com/2021/11/13/22-felix-bautista/

[Just Regular]

Pay no attention, indeed!   (Minor League Baseball claims 6-5, 190).   That is pretty fantastic to have a first digit 1 vs. 3 difference between sources!

Anyhow, reading the write-up brought back up some Armando Benitez (6-4, 180 according to B-Ref) memories.   

Its exciting if any fastball this good has figured something out, or was helped to figure something out, and excited to see how he looks in Sarasota.

Should he turf the curve if split change best?   Kind of imagine he could get by with 2 pitches if fastball command good enough.

 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

45 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

Pay no attention, indeed!   (Minor League Baseball claims 6-5, 190).   That is pretty fantastic to have a first digit 1 vs. 3 difference between sources!

Anyhow, reading the write-up brought back up some Armando Benitez (6-4, 180 according to B-Ref) memories.   

Its exciting if any fastball this good has figured something out, or was helped to figure something out, and excited to see how he looks in Sarasota.

Should he turf the curve if split change best?   Kind of imagine he could get by with 2 pitches if fastball command good enough.

 

I agree Bautista could get by with just two pitches as a bullpen arm. His command has been an issue and he needs an off-speed pitch that can get MLB hitters out. 

Good sign is Bautista BB9 dropped to 4.4 at Norfolk, and his strikeout numbers were filthy last year averaging a 14.9 SO9 between A, AA and AAA ball. 

Could definitely be a pitcher who surprises (in a. good way) next year with the Orioles.

[Frobby]

Seems like a lot of teams have a guy like Bautista.   I just ask that he throw more strikes than Tanner Scott, and he should be serviceable even with his limited repertoire.   I assume from his projection as a multi-inning reliever that he’s able to hold his velocity for a few innings.  

[waroriole]

Don’t like those straight fastballs. Doesn’t matter how hard they’re thrown. Especially if he doesn’t have a good secondary pitch. 

[Tony-OH]

5 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Seems like a lot of teams have a guy like Bautista.   I just ask that he throw more strikes than Tanner Scott, and he should be serviceable even with his limited repertoire.   I assume from his projection as a multi-inning reliever that he’s able to hold his velocity for a few innings.  

Yes, he pitched two innings in 7 of his appearances and was still throwing upper 90s and touching 100.

[Tony-OH]

1 minute ago, waroriole said:

Don’t like those straight fastballs. Doesn’t matter how hard they’re thrown. Especially if he doesn’t have a good secondary pitch. 

At 6-foot-7, I'm going to imagine his extension is more than the 6-foot-5 average so imagine an upper 90's fastball that can touch 100-101 playing up in velocity? I don't know spin rate but not too many guys barreled him up and hitters slashed just .126/.275/.208/.482 off him across three levels so while it may not have a lot of horizontal movement, that fastball has been effective albeit against minor league hitters. 

The key will be keeping it out of the middle of the zone where major league hitters will hit it that pitch. I think if he focused on that split change that's a great combo with his fastball.

[LookinUp]

18 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Seems like a lot of teams have a guy like Bautista.   I just ask that he throw more strikes than Tanner Scott, and he should be serviceable even with his limited repertoire.   I assume from his projection as a multi-inning reliever that he’s able to hold his velocity for a few innings.  

Funny. When I read it I definitely through of Tanner Scott. You just have to hope an arm like this can control it enough. If so, he can be effective.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

At 6-foot-7, I'm going to imagine his extension is more than the 6-foot-5 average so imagine an upper 90's fastball that can touch 100-101 playing up in velocity? I don't know spin rate but not too many guys barreled him up and hitters slashed just .126/.275/.208/.482 off him across three levels so while it may not have a lot of horizontal movement, that fastball has been effective albeit against minor league hitters. 

The key will be keeping it out of the middle of the zone where major league hitters will hit it that pitch. I think if he focused on that split change that's a great combo with his fastball.

You're forgetting we have the secret weapon to take Felix Bautista to the next level.

[Ruzious]

That's an intimidating dude.  Batters hit .126 against him last season at the 3 levels combined, and he's only given up 6 homers in him minor league career.  Mr. Bat Misser.  Glad he's on our side.  

[sportsfan8703]

I think the talent is real close to being there to have a good bullpen. We just need to get to the point where guys have defined roles, that includes 2-3 innings eaters that we rotate through. We need to have a top 6 that doesn’t get asked to eat IP, then have 2-3 optionable arms on the shuttle. 
 

Sulser, Wells, Bautista, Scott, Tate, Fry

Leave those 6 guys alone and don’t burn them out. 

[Frobby]

https://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2021/11/will-a-100-mph-fastball-get-this-pitcher-on-the-40-man.html

[Tony-OH]

15 minutes ago, Frobby said:

https://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2021/11/will-a-100-mph-fastball-get-this-pitcher-on-the-40-man.html

"Bautista is listed at 6-foot-5 and 190 lbs., but looks bigger."

lol